Sand-pipe heater



c. B. JOHNS SAND PIPE HEATER Filed Feb. 9, 1924 INVIENTOR. C/ulwwflerymaJokns,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHILION BENJAMIN JOHNS, OF 'EBENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TO JOSEPH OSCAR CLARK, OF GLEN CAMPBELL, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAND-PIPE HEATER.

Application filed February 9, 1924. Serial No. 691,671.

To all 10/10/72 it may con c-c1 22.:

Be it known that I, CHILIoN BENJA- MIN JOHNS, a citizen of the United States,

residing at Ebensburg, in the county of 5 Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sand-Pipe Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the sanding de vices employed upon railway locomotives and the like, and has for one of its objects to provide a simply constructed. attachment whereby th sand pipe is heated and the accumulation of moisture the-rein prevented to insure the free flowing of the sand.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be readily attached to and removed from the sand pipe for renewal or repairs, and with out detaching the sand pipe.

Figure 1 is a Side view of a portion of a conventional locomotive, with the improvement applied.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the improved attachment.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

The improved device may be applied to the sand pipes of railway locomotives, trolley cars, or electrically operated motors of various kinds, and like structures, and it is not desired to limit the invention in this respect.

For the purpose of illustration the represent-ation of a portion of a locomotive is shown in which a part of the boiler is illdicated at 10, a part of the frame at 11, one of the main drive wheels at 12, a portion of a railway rail at 13, the sand box at 14, and the usual sand pipe at 15, of conventional construction.

The improved attachment comprises a shell or casing formed with a lower cylindrical body portion 16 having an apertured diaphragm 17 near the lower end.

The improved device is supported at a forwardly directed incline and the lower edge of the body will be bevelled, as shown at 18 to enable the body to be supported with its lower edge in relatively close proximity to the heads of the rails and also relatively close to the drive wheel 12;

The casing or shell is likewise formed with an upper or head portion 19 having a flangreor lip 20 bearing over the upper edge of the lower body portion 16. A section of piping 21 extends through apertures in the head portion 19 and the diaphragm 17 and threaded at the ends to receive clamp nuts 22 and 23, the latter having yieldable packing washers 24 and 25 to insure moisture tight joints. By this means the two body portions are firmly united by the pipe section which also serves as the lower end of the sand conductor.

The main sand conductor 15 is coupled as at 15' to the upper end of the pipe section 21.

A lateral upturned branch 19' leads from the head portion 19 of the body, the branch being internally threaded at the upper end, to receive a cylindrical member 26 converging at the upper end as at 27 with an an nular lip 28 at the upper end to receive a union 29 whereby a guide sleeve 30 is coupled to the member 2627.

Surrounding the pipe section 21 within the body portions 16 and 19 is a coil of an electrically heated medium represented as a whole at 31 and extending through the branch 19 with the terminals upturned and coupled at 32 within the member 26 to a suitable electric conductor represented conventionally at 33. The coil 31 within the body members 16 and 19 is surrounded. by suitable nonheat conductive material such as sheets of asbestos or the like and indicated at 34, whilewthe portion of the coil within the branch 19 is likewise surrounded with nonheat conductive material such as loose asbestos or the like and indicated at 85.

The coupling member 32 and the portions of the coil 31 and conductor 33 within the member 26 is imbedded in a suitable pitch compound indicated at 36, as a protection against moisture.

The portion of the conductor element 31 which is located within the branch 26 is formed with non heat generating material, to prevent the protecting envelope from becoming heated.

Attached in any suitable manner to the frame member of the locomotive is a suspension bar 37, and coupled to the bar at its lower end are spaced straps 38 and 39 which respectively encompass the member and the shell member 16. By this means the shell member and its attachments are suspended from the locomotive frame in advance of the drive wheel 12.

The sand conductor member and the electric conduct-or 38 are preferably in'parallel relation and, coupled at suitable intervals by straps 40.

The conductor member is carried to a point in the cab of the locomotive convenientto the engineer or fireman, preferably through the hand rail, as indicated, and provided with a suitable controlling switch, indicated conventionally at 1.

It. will be understood that one of the devices. will be arranged at each side of the locomotive, and will be right and left handed, as will beobviouS.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the drawings and set forth in the specification, but it will beunderstood that modifications within the scope of the claimed invention may be lllfldilllilhe construction without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the what is claimed as new is A device of the class described comprising a tubular conductor member adapted to be coupled to a sand pipe, a tubular guard enclosing a portion of said conductor member and coupled thereto, said guard member having a lateral branch communicating therewith and upturned at the outer end, an enclosing shell coupled to said branch, an electrical heating appliance within the guard member and extending into the enclosing shell, an electric conductor leading into said enclosing shell, and means within the shell for coupling the conductor member to the heating appliance.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature here-to.

C-HILION BENJAMIN JOHNS.

invention, 

